RIP Fr Gresham Kirkby
Fallible but a survivor of the days when authentic Catholicism and working for social justice went together as a given. Socialism of course doesn’t work but like other well-meaning Christians his heart was in the right place. And the anarchist strain resonates with this blogger’s libertarianism.

Kirkby studied at the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, west Yorkshire, during the time that (the later Archbishop) Trevor Huddleston was a novice. He regarded Huddleston, at the time, as rather conservative.

Search the blog for more on him. The man who wrote Naught for Your Comfort was still sound.

After three further curacies in Middlesborough

Tough crowd!

He chose the architects - Robert Maguire and Keith Murray (obituary, November 29 2005) - and they asked the question: "What will Christian worship be like in the year 2000, and how can we build a church to reflect this?"

Well, we all know the ideas of futurists are always spot-on. Would you be so kind and get me my jet-pack over in the corner? I’m off to catch the 6.30 shuttle to Mars.

For many years the Divine Office was sung daily to Gregorian chant.

Mass-and-office Catholicism, or hooray for the legitimate liturgical movement.

A prediction I wish had come true.

O GOD who didst cause thy servant Gresham to enjoy the dignity of a Priest in the apostolic Priesthood, grant, we beseech thee, that he may evermore be joined unto the fellowship of the same. Through Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Jesu, mercy; Mary, pray.